Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program

Dear members of the Bellarmine University campus community,

I write to let you know that I have joined more than 600 public and private college and university presidents across the country in signing a “Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and our Undocumented Immigrant Students.”

The DACA program allows young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children under age 16 to remain in the country to live and work legally for renewable two year periods. At least 800,000 “Dreamers” have been protected from deportation by this initiative. It will be rescinded in six months unless Congress passes legislation to replace it.

Consistent with the mission and the founding of Bellarmine University, we are called to advocate for the education and welfare of those who cannot speak for themselves. We urge our civic leaders and our community to stand up for the “Dreamers” and to enable them to become citizens and contributing members of our communities. We stand behind Pope Francis, Archbishop Kurtz and so many other leaders who advocate for this support as well. We cannot ignore our responsibility to voice our collective concern that we move forward with our commitment to these young people.

The statement I signed calls on the United States to uphold and continue DACA. It reports on the positive impact the program has had on DACA students – and the positive impact these students have had on our campuses, our communities and our economies, as exemplary students and citizens in the full range of disciplines and professions. The statement asserts the “moral imperative” and “national necessity” of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.